Cycling the Road to Mighty

Here are two days of professional-caliber cycling routes, inspired by the original Larry H. Miller Tour of Utah, on the stunning roads of scenic Southern Utah, followed by a warm-down ride in Capitol Reef Country. This Utah bike tour is the weekend warrior’s dream, with options to push yourself to your physical limits or shorter routes to keep it real. Though Utah may be best known for its mtb singletrack, there’s plenty of great road cycling to be had here.

Travel with your fellow warriors or bring the family for a supported ride. Either way, there are plenty of incredible destinations — including a few national parks — along the routes to keep non-cyclists entertained, and you’ll certainly be glad for the support vehicle.

The highlights of day one combine a grueling 4,000-foot climb to 10,000 feet for top-conditioned riders along with the spectacular scenery of Cedar Breaks National Monument and the payoff of an exhilarating descent back to town.

Day two traverses Utah’s All-American Road Scenic Byway 12, which bears a top national designation celebrating the route’s unparalleled beauty, which you’ll have extra time to enjoy on two wheels. An organic, farm-to-table meal at Hell’s Backbone Grill helps you replenish the calories around dinner time.

The final day is a bonus. One doesn’t travel this far up Highway 12 and just skip Capitol Reef National Park. From your base camp in Torrey, you’ll fully explore the red rock wonderland of S.R. 24 en route to the Capitol Reef Scenic Drive.

The itinerary is broken up into three shorter tours and the total mileage reflects the top end of the range of cycling miles, but each day has options to shorten it. There are additional driving miles between the starting points of each day.

When all is said and done, you’ll trek across some of Southwestern Utah’s most iconic scenery — but you’ll have the humblebrag of saying you did it by bike.

Day 1
90 Miles

CEDAR CITY TO CEDAR CITY LOOP

Cedar City to Cedar City Cycling Loop

Parowan Gap

Cedar Breaks National Monument

Choose the full 90-mile route with a legend-making ascent or the 60-mile option. For families and their shuttle vehicles, there's plenty to see and do along the route. The short hike of the Parowan Gap is rich in history, Brian Head Resort offers a wide array of summer activities, and Cedar Breaks presents one of the most spectacular and unexpected views in the region. Photo by Jonathan Devich.

CEDAR CITY TO CEDAR CITY CYCLING LOOP

The full 90-mile route is going to be strenuous for even the most conditioned cyclist. The reward is an achievement on par with the professionals — though since this isn't a race, you're permitted to stop at stunning Cedar Breaks for a very scenic break to admire the view. Photo by Jonathan Devich.

The walls of the Parowan Gap are steep jumbles of weathered and fractured Navajo sandstone. There are an impressive number of panels covered in petroglyphs. Enjoy the short walk and interpretive signs. The Zipper petroglyph may be a calendar of solar alignments.

The rim of Cedar Breaks is above 10,000 feet and looks into a natural amphitheater plunging 2,000 feet below, taking your eyes for a colorful ride through arches, hoodoos and canyons. Stunning views are common on these hikes so keep your camera nearby. It’s also a certified Dark Sky Park, which means the nights are like nowhere else.

Utah’s All-American Road Scenic Byway 12 is a wonder of human engineering in a landscape unlike anywhere else. It’s a privilege to tour it by car, but little can top the intimate experience of touring it by bicycle. Today’s route is a very manageable 27 miles from Escalante to Boulder, Utah, or an even better 54 miles round-trip. For non-cyclists accompanying you on the journey, the 6-mile, intermediate round-trip hike to Calf Creek Falls is one of the area’s best hikes, and everyone can rally afterwards in Boulder for farm-to-table dining at Hell’s Backbone Grill or Burr Trail Grill. Overnight at a hotel or lodge in Boulder or Torrey. Photo by Jonathan Devich.

CYCLING SCENIC BYWAY 12

If you are interested in a unique way to see a lot of beautiful Utah landscape, look no further than this ride down scenic Highway 12. Professional Tour of Utah cyclists race the whole length; this journey settles for 54 miles round-trip, or 27 miles one way, with approximately 4,000 feet of elevation gain included.

At the lower falls of Calf Creek, a clear stream descends 126 feet into a pool, where happy folks take a swim after a 3-mile hike that is relatively flat, but frequently very sandy. It’s 6 miles total, and a great introduction to the Grand Staircase–Escalante National Monument.

An iconic meal for an iconic road trip. This Zagat-rated, organic-farm-to-fork restaurant in Boulder, Utah, serves regionally-based cuisine. The varied menu receives rave reviews from happy patrons for its blend of Western Range, Pueblo Indian and Southwestern flavors. The proprietors source from their own organic farm and heirloom fruit trees. Reservations are recommended, so call ahead before you decide to stop in.

We figure if you’ve come all this way — ridden all those miles — you can’t leave nearby Capitol Reef National Park for next time. The road from Torrey to Capitol Reef and the drive in the park ($7 per cyclist at the entrance) combine for an ultra-scenic 40 miles when all is said and done. Since you won’t have burned out your legs on this ride, there are hiking options at the end of the park’s scenic drive or along S.R. 24. Save some energy for the return trip to Torrey’s higher elevation and enjoy a great meal in town.

ROAD CYCLING CAPITOL REEF NATIONAL PARK

A gentler day three begins in Torrey and heads east on S.R. 24. This is Capitol Reef Country. Keep your eyes peeled for the national park road to your right to enjoy the paved, but narrow eight miles of scenic backroads. The whole trip is about 40 miles, with the greatest elevation gain on the return trip.

Take a walk back in time and learn about Capitol Reef’s early pioneer life at the Gifford Homestead Museum and store. Don’t forget to treat yourself to a freshly-baked piece of pie — your taste buds will thank you. Open March through November.

The next time you visit Capitol Reef, be sure to stop in the tiny town of Torrey for tasty eats and interesting treats from handmade ice cream to unusual dishes of the southwest. Never had rattlesnake before? Now is your chance to try it.

ROUTE MAP

EXPLORE MORE

Some other experiences to try close to your journey.

CENTRO PIZZA AND THE GRIND COFFEE

Cedar City's cuisine has burst onto the scene in a big way in recent years, anchored by some of the best wood-fired pizza around at Centro, but there’s also incredible BBQ, modern American restaurants, fine Mexican dining and a great community coffee shop at The Grind.

From June to October, Cedar City welcomes the world to its Tony Award-winning Utah Shakespeare Festival. Thousands converge on the campus of Southern Utah University to participate in renaissance festivities and see Shakespearean productions rotating nightly. The Fest also presents modern plays.

Enjoy rustic accommodations, a great menu, the best access to stunning sunrises and sunsets on the Rim Trail, and the dark Utah skies at Bryce Canyon Lodge. It’s the only lodging option within the Bryce Canyon National Park boundary. Image courtesy dmitri_66 on Flickr.

The first official name, “Chimney Rock” reflects the area’s 67 monolithic stone spires, part of a multicolored landscape so beautiful it earned the nickname “Kodachrome” after a popular Kodak film. The name stuck and today visitors enjoy camping and hiking across 2,240 acres of photogenic, geologic wonder.

Nestled amid the beauty of Grand Staircase–Escalante National Monument in Southern Utah, Kiva Koffeehouse offers a relaxing stop for travelers in need of homemade food and gourmet coffee or an overnight stay in one of two 700-square-foot cottages, each complete with a jetted tub, fireplace and spectacular views.

Discover two national parks, the vast Grand Staircase-Escalante National Monument, and the tranquil beauty of Boulder Mountain along with national forest lands and state parks unlike anywhere else. While you can complete the whole drive on one scenic three-hour tour, even a four-day itinerary only cracks the surface.

BURR TRAIL OUTPOST

The Burr Trail Outpost calls itself “Your oasis at the end of the trail.” Like its neighbor the Hell’s Backbone Grill, the Outpost is focused on local: homemade baked goods, local organic coffee, local art, jewelry, books, crafts and more.

BURR TRAIL-NOTOM ROAD

The Burr Trail Scenic Backway is one of the most picturesque drives in Utah. A paved and graded gravel and dirt road passing through slickrock mountains and sandstone dunes, it extends from Boulder to Bullfrog Marina with a spur north through Capitol Reef on the Notom Road.

These front country hikes in Capitol Reef National Park lead to amazing rock formations and panoramic views of Southeastern Utah. Hickman Bridge is a short out-and-back (about 2 miles). The Rim Overlook and/or Navajo Knobs add 2.3 and 4.7 miles, respectively, for an elevated view of Capitol Reef’s tilted landscapes.

In the spring, the blooming historic orchards of Capitol Reef splash mesmerizing colors against the sandstone backdrops. Come harvest, happy visitors wander unlocked orchards and sample ripe fruit in season. There’s a self-pay and bagging station to carry out ripe fruit for a nominal fee.